NFL warning to Australian codes as flag football makes play for Brisbane 2032 Olympics

Flag football is getting an Olympics debut at the Los Angeles Games – but that could just be the beginning according to bullish officials.

Flag football executives believe a huge financial windfall from the 2028 Olympics and the rising interest of younger fans will see the sport included in the Brisbane Games.

While the sport will make its Olympics debut in Los Angeles in three years, officials have already begun lobbying the 2032 Brisbane Games committee about including flag football, in a major warning shot to Australia’s football codes.

Just days after Wallabies superstar Quade Cooper confirmed his switch to flag football for a tilt at the LA Games, officials from the non-contact version of NFL met with 2032 Games organisers in Queensland to pitch their inclusion.

Australian Brett Gosper, the former chief executive of World Rugby and now the NFL’s head of Europe and Asia-Pacific, was upbeat following the meetings.

“We’ve had a number of informal conversations with 2032, I believe they see the potential of the sport,” Gosper told Code Sports.

With Flag Football confirmed for its Olympic debut for the LA2028 Olympic Games, sights have now been set to secure its inclusion in the Brisbane 2032 Games. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“They see the potential in Brisbane. They’ve obviously got a decision to make. There are a lot of sports knocking on their door.

“I can’t really speak for them, but they’re very good listeners. I think they understand the broad picture and the macro view of why this could be huge for Brisbane 32 at some point. But they’ve got other sports knocking on their doorstep.

“We’ve got more conversations. There’ll be a formal process at some point, a briefing and potentially a run-off for the sports. But we just want to update them at this point in time on what the momentum is as we head towards LA28 and how that momentum could be continued through to 2032.”

Gosper said the five-on-five games could be played across half-fields at various venues including Suncorp Stadium or the Gold Coast’s Cbus Super Stadium, and that flag football would be willing to work in with other sports, as they are in LA with Lacrosse.

The growing popularity of the NFL in Australia is set to flow into flag football’s Olympics debut as officials plan for some of the league’s top stars, including flyer Tyreek Hill, to play for the US team.

NFL superstar Tyreek Hill is in the sights of the US team. Picture: Getty

“We’re working for the fact that the NFL players will be present, we haven’t got anything to announce on that at this point, we’re working through that process with the clubs and players,” Gosper said.

“That will provide a huge impact for the games there. And on the back of a huge success in LA in 28, we do feel it would be a pity if something dropped off for Brisbane, a sport that will be competitive for the Australian team, but also the NFL platforms offering such a great window into America for Brisbane, Queensland and Brisbane 32.

“Us promoting the Olympics in the States we think a good thing, whether it be in the commercial segments, whether it be in the fan segments, and is something which will be important for Brisbane 32 as they go forward, commercialise and really lay their stall out to the rest of the world.

“And as we know, the US is probably the highest value Olympic market for the IOC as well. That’s annexed to the fact that we just believe it is a highly exciting, compelling Olympic sport, and will be proven as such in Los Angeles in 28. And in the meantime, we’ll work on the fan base here.”

There is a growing number of youth flag football players in Australia. Picture Mark Brake

Pierre Trochet, the president of International Federation of American football, says the popularity of the NFL globally makes a compelling case for flag football to become an Olympic mainstay.

“We are confident in the proposal, that it’s a flexible, fast, fun, creative sport, you blink and you miss the action, and it’s very easy to play,” Trochet said.

“It appeals to what Gen Z wants to watch and consume in sports. It’s fast, you can clip it.

“You bring on the table a global sport play by 20 million players in 100 countries, one of the fastest growing sports in the world. China has come from zero to 200,000, aiming for 500,000 next year. The UK doubled participation every year.

Quade Cooper has put his hand up to switch sports and play for Australia. Picture: Getty

“Africa is on the rise. We’re going to have the first ever continental tournament in Africa this year, we have about 20,000 kids just starting flag football in Nigeria, just in the last few months.

“The growth of the sports, which goes in tandem with the expansion of the international market of the National Football League, gives a pretty good proposal for the Olympic movement for the game, for staying long-term in the process.”

American football Australia’s chief executive, Wade Kelly, expects stars from the AFL, NRL and rugby, as well as netball, to flood him with interest in winning an Olympic medal in flag football.

“This is a game that Australians are born to play,” Kelly said. “It’s get down a field, get separation, turn around, catch a ball above your head. It’s netball. It’s AFL. It’s Oztag, touch football rolled into the same sport.

“So our guys who transfer across from other codes, pick this up very, very easily.

“And the dream is that we play in the men’s and women’s final in 2028, and we defend in 2032, and the hype and the commercialism around that would be pretty phenomenal.”

Originally published as NFL warning to Australian codes as flag football makes play for Brisbane 2032 Olympics